A 23-year-old Walker police officer already jailed on a charge of indecent behavior with a juvenile in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving a 13-year-old is now facing a separate second-degree rape charge after an adult woman came forward with her own allegation. Hayden McKenzie was first arrested October 5 in Livingston Parish on one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile, and within days was booked again on the new felony count.
McKenzie's troubles began after deputies with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office opened an investigation in August 2026 into a sexual assault complaint involving an incident from April 2025, according to Atlanta News First. The victim in that case was a 13-year-old juvenile at the time, according to Jason Ard.
A Second Allegation Surfaces Fast
Just as word of McKenzie's arrest spread, the sheriff's office said it was contacted after his first arrest by an adult woman reporting a separate sexual assault that allegedly happened in April 2024. Jason Ard said evidence uncovered by investigators led directly to the new rape charge, the outlet's report notes. McKenzie, who had initially bonded out of custody following his first arrest, was being processed back into the Livingston Parish Detention Facility on the second-degree rape count.
Louisiana law treats that charge with particular severity. A conviction for second-degree rape under state statute carries a mandatory prison sentence at hard labor of 5 to 40 years, with no possibility of probation, parole, or suspended sentence, according to the Louisiana State Legislature.
Original Charge Carries Its Own Weight
The initial indecent behavior with a juvenile charge is also serious.
The criminal investigation was handled by the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit.
Department Response and Next Steps
Walker Police Chief David Addison confirmed that McKenzie was suspended with pay under department policy pending both an internal administrative investigation and the resolution of the sheriff's office charges, according to WBRZ. The department said its policies prevented further comment at this time.
Beyond the criminal courts, McKenzie's law enforcement career remains in question while he is suspended with pay pending an internal administrative investigation and resolution of the sheriff's office charges. The sheriff's office said its investigation remains ongoing, and no additional details on potential further charges have been released.
